Mere days after the United States announced plans to send some fifty M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine, the United Kingdom could do even better and send a number of the British Army’s Challenger 2 main battle tanks to aid Kyiv, Sky News reported on Monday.
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Discussions have been taking place for a few weeks, a Western source told the news outlet.
A squadron of Challenger 2 tanks is already in Estonia as part of a NATO mission in Eastern Europe to deter Russian Aggression.
Around ten Challenger 2s – enough to equip an armored squadron – could be provided to Kyiv.
The Challenger 2 has been in service with the British Army since 1994, and it has seen service in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Iraq.
In addition to providing Ukraine with some of the UK’s best tanks, it would likely encourage other Western nations to provide MBTs, including German Leopard IIs and American M1 Abrams.
No final decision has been made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, and the matter will likely be discussed at a meeting on Jan. 20 of the Contract Group, the 50-odd nations that have been providing aid to Kyiv. Any announcement regarding the tanks would likely coincide with that gathering.
Already the governments of Poland and Finland have signaled a willingness to supply their Leopard MBTs to Ukraine, but that move would still require approval from Germany, which holds the export license.
Ukraine: Tanks a Lot
MBTs had been a line that Western governments had not wanted to cross, but last week, France took a major step forward when it agreed to send an undisclosed number of AMX-10 RC armored combat vehicles.
Designated as light tanks by the French military, despite being a wheeled, not a tracked vehicle, the AMX-10 RC has been employed with French cavalry units since the early 1980s. A total of 457 were produced, and around 240 are reported to be in service with the French Army, while others were sold to Morocco and Qatar.
The vehicles, which are armed with a 105mm F2 BK MECA L/47 main gun, have been deployed in a reconnaissance role in contested environments, and for fire support. The AMX-10 RC is well armed and speedy enough to engage with enemy armor and then quickly retreat. Supplying Ukraine with these armored fighting vehicles could allow it to fight more like a Western military rather than in a manner similar to the Russian forces, which typically seek direct tank-to-tank slug matches.
The Western MBTs could help Ukraine engage with Russian tanks, while the Bradley, AMX-10 RC, and German-pledged Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle could ensure the MBTs have the necessary support to exploit any breakthroughs on the frontlines. This could prove crucial when Kyiv launches its next counteroffensive.
Author Experience and Expertise: A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
